NLA

July 2024

ISBN : 9781922507679
Publisher : National Library of Australia
Imprint : National Library of Australia
RRP: $19.99

I grew up in Sydney and I was a kid with a thirst for history, particularly of my home town. I loved my excursions to the Rocks and being taken into the city on outings with my father, also a history tragic. Yet I knew nothing of the reformatories set up for ‘wayward’ boys, and the training ship Sobraon, until I read this terrific historical novel.

Of course, I knew that there was a dark, grim history to the 19th century streets of Sydney. Following on from the First Settlement, like all growing urban areas, vices and crime expanded rapidly and given there were already orphans galore, there were more given the rate of both violence and general neglect by that sector of the population most likely to succumb to poverty, disease and rivals.

Sarah Luke takes real historical figures and events, and skilfully weaves them into a very plausible fictional account that has as its main character the young daughter of the principal of the Sobraon training ship, Captain Neitenstein. One can only imagine how it must be to be the carefully guarded daughter, only child, of parents who have the responsibility and care of a shipload of recalcitrant and, often, rebellious boys, moored in Sydney Harbour.

Now readers can put themselves in this picture and it is a fascinating one indeed. Marion finds herself strangely aligned with a boy who has been a ringleader in the notorious Forty Thieves gang (think Fagin and his boys) but who seems to be cut from a different cloth altogether. Can they solve a mystery about Alexander’s past? And can they put a stop to the evil trade of Joseph Bragg?

It is history, adventure and mystery all wrapped up one package. And a lovely package it is too with its attractive hardback binding and neat size. This is an absolute corker and for those kiddos who are doing their HASS units on early Sydney, a real boon to ‘read about your topic’. It would make a terrific serial read as well and with teaching notes to support it, you can’t go wrong.

I enjoyed both the book and the subsequent delving into history and I have every confidence that your kiddos from Year 4 up to Yea 7/8 would also. A very enthusiastic 5 ⚓⚓⚓⚓⚓ rating.